2024 Energia All-Ireland League Award Winners – Player & Coach Profiles
IRFU Performance Director designate, David Humphreys, and IRFU President Greg Barrett are pictured with award winners Ronan Watters, Callum Smyton, Sean Skehan, and Jack Kelleher ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
We take a closer look at the 2024 Energia All-Ireland League Player and Coach of the Season award winners, who capped off a brilliant domestic club campaign with individual honours.
Women’s Division Player of the Season: Lindsay Peat (Railway Union RFC)
A real standard-setter for her team-mates and players across the league, Lindsay has undoubtedly been playing some of the best rugby of her career of late.
She was crucial to Railway Union reaching the Energia All-Ireland League and Cup finals this season, and she fulfilled a long-held dream of playing at the Aviva Stadium.
A canny operator from number 8, the ageless Dubliner scored 11 tries in 13 starts, including a brilliant brace in the recent league final against UL Bohemian.
Men’s Division 1A Player of the Season: Jack Kelleher (Cork Constitution FC)
In just his second season at the club, Jack helped Cork Constitution to win their first Energia All-Ireland League title since 2019, playing a big role in an unforgettable final.
The powerful 22-year-old flanker made 18 starts across the league season, including the play-offs, and contributed six tries. He also showed his leadership skills as vice-captain.
Capped for the first time by the Ireland Club team this year, he scored a try in their win over Portugal ‘A’ in Lisbon.
Men’s Division 1B Player of the Season: Ronan Watters (St. Mary’s College RFC)
A real talisman for St. Mary’s College, Ronan captained the club to a top-of-the-table finish and promotion back to Division 1A after a six-year absence from the top flight.
The 24-year-old back rower made 16 starts and scored five tries across a campaign that saw a dominant St. Mary’s win 17 of their 18 games.
An ultra-consistent performer from number 8, the former Ireland Under-20 international is always busy on both sides of the ball.
Men’s Division 2A Player of the Season: Willie Coffey (Nenagh Ormond RFC)
Willie captained Nenagh Ormond to a historic Division 2A title win, which will see them become the first ever Tipperary club to play Division 1B rugby next season.
The 27-year-old centre led by example, running in one of the tries of the season from halfway in their promotion-clinching win over MU Barnhall at the end of March.
A former Tipperary minor hurler, he scored nine tries in all and also had a big influence defensively, with Nenagh conceding an average of just 12.38 points per game (the best across all five Men’s Divisions).
Men’s Division 2B Player of the Season: John Devine (Galway Corinthians RFC)
John’s skills in both defence and attack have contributed to a stellar season for Galway Corinthians, who came through the play-offs to earn promotion from Division 2B.
A Grand Slam winner and World Rugby U-20 Championship finalist with the Ireland Under-20s last year, he is part of the Connacht Academy set-up, and has combined well with fellow Academy player, Sean Naughton, in a 10-12 axis for Corinthians.
The 20-year-old centre played 15 league games for Corinthians this year, weighing in with seven tries, making 202 tackles, and winning 25 turnovers.
Men’s Division 2C Player of the Season: Callum Smyton (Clogher Valley RFC)
After coming up from the junior ranks, Clogher Valley made an immediate splash by winning Division 2C this season with young number 8 Callum to the fore.
Tough to bring down once he gets going, the ex-Ulster underage player is a big scoring threat off the back of scrums, and is a hard hitter in defence.
He also showed his ability to win turnovers, including a decisive late one during the away win over Galwegians, while he finished the campaign with 11 tries, including braces against Clonmel, Bruff, Tullamore, and Ballina.
Women’s Division Coach of the Season: Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemian RFC)
Back with a bang at UL Bohemian this season, Fiona guided them to a terrific Energia All-Ireland League and Cup double. Their league form was superb throughout the season, with 16 wins out of 17.
The former Ireland international, who was also Women’s Coach of the Season in 2020, has had some vital input in bringing through talented youngsters like their top try scorer Chisom Ugwueru, Kate Flannery, and Beth Buttimer.
A smart and progressive coach, she now has the honour of calling herself an All-Ireland League title-winning coach and captain, having skippered Bohs to their 2017 and 2018 AIL wins, and overseen their record 14th league success as head coach.
Men’s Divisions Coach of the Season: Sean Skehan (Terenure College RFC)
One of a band of excellent young coaches in the Energia All-Ireland League, Sean led Terenure College to their first top-of-the-table finish in Division 1A and their third final appearance in three years.
They put together a run of 13 wins in-a-row, and retained the Energia Bateman Cup, but their double bid was undone by a resurgent Cork Constitution.
The Dubliner coached the Ireland Club XV to a 20-17 victory over Portugal ‘A’ in March, with his matchday squad containing players from 11 different clubs and three divisions of the league.